


Reunion

by Sylthfarn



Category: Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 10:38:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6420367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylthfarn/pseuds/Sylthfarn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been almost 10 years since Aster first took a fist to the face for Richter, which sparked their friendship and eventual romantic relationship. Richter swore he'd repay the favor, and eventually he did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reunion

Aster holds the bouquet tightly against his chest. He definitely doesn’t want to ruin the flowers, but he still feels some apprehension over the meeting. It was silly, he attempts to reason with himself. He is sure Richter will like the flowers. They were almost ironically asters. Aster still isn’t sure if Richter had liked the flowers before they had met, or if it had been some form of affection grown from the connection with his name.

Thinking of their first meeting…that certainly wasn’t something Aster would ever forget. He still remembers it like it was yesterday even though now it was somewhere closer to ten years. Aster had joined Sybak Academy when he was nine years old, which was also when he met Richter. He had been walking down the hallway, engrossed in a research journal when he noticed notes scattered all over the floor. Looking up, he saw a couple of older students about to punch a sullen looking redhead he would later know as Richter. 

Aster moved without thinking. His base instinct told him he had to do something, so grabbing the notes, he threw himself between Richter and the other student’s fist.

“Ahh that hurt,” said Aster, rubbing his cheek. “Here’s the notes you dropped.”

“Aster—” said one of the older students, sounding horrified. “Oh my goddess we didn’t mean to—”

“It’s alright,” said Aster with a smile.

The older students took the notes Aster was holding out to them and left, looking extremely guilty for assaulting Sybak’s youngest and brightest new student, even if it was an accident.

“Are you okay?” asked Aster, turning to the student he’d protected.

“Yeah…” Richter muttered. He looked away quickly. “But you’re not so let’s go to the infirmary.”

Aster followed him, staring at Richter with curiosity the whole way.

* * *

“Okay just hold still—” began Richter, attempting to gently apply a cotton ball with antiseptic to Aster’s cheek.

“AH!” said Aster. “That hurts!”

“Well maybe if you weren’t such a moron,” Richter said under his breath. He squinted as he once again attempted to apply the cotton ball.

“Why were those guys trying to punch you in the face?” asked Aster, forgetting Richter’s demand to sit still.

“Because I’m a half-elf,” said Richter, glaring at him. “Why else?”

“Well that’s not right,” pouted Aster. “I’m glad I stepped in!”

“You didn’t need to. I’m used to it,” said Richter shortly.

“They beat you up and pick on you?? Is that why you look pissed off all the time?” asked Aster.

“Would you sit still?” Richter nearly yelled at him.

“Sorry,” said Aster meekly. He stayed quiet and allowed Richter to put a bandage on his cheek before speaking again.

“I’m Aster by the way. Aster Laker!”

“Does it look like I care?” grumbled Richter as he put away the medical supplies.

“It’s called being polite, silly,” said Aster with a smile. “I want to know your name!”

“Why.”

“Because I want to get to know you better!”

Richter stared at Aster for a long while, seemingly trying to decide if Aster was being honest. 

“You’re a strange human, I almost feel that you have a few screws loose,” Richter sighed. “I’m Richter…Richter Abend.”

“Nice to meet you Richter!” said Aster, smiling once again.

Richter didn’t return it. Instead, he turned away and continued cleaning up.

“Hey…” said Richter hesitantly. “Why did you protect me?”

“Because someone had to stand up to them or they’d never stop. You’ve gotta have courage, right? Because ‘courage is the magic that turns dreams into a reality!’” Aster said excitedly.

“Now I know you have some screws loose,” sighed Richter, but Aster only laughed.

“My mom’s always saying that to me. It’s on the back of my medallion too,” said Aster, gesturing to the gold pendant around his neck. “And besides, I want to be your friend! And friends protect one another!”

“You’re an absolute moron,” said Richter flatly. “I’ll repay my debt to you but don’t think I’m going to go out of my way to save your stupid ass.”

“We’ll see,” said Aster with a grin.

Richter rolled his eyes.

* * *

Richter had been studying (or attempting to) when he heard the incessant knocking. 

“Dammit would you bastards just leave me alone? What do you want?” he asked angrily, wrenching the door open.

“Hey I’m not a bastard!” said Aster as Richter opened the door.

Richter sighed.

“Oh…it’s just you. What do you want?” 

“I have something for you!” said Aster happily. He rummaged around in his lab coat pockets. “I know it’s in here somewhere… Ah!”

He pulled out a pair of glasses and placed them on Richter’s face.

“Here! Present!” Aster said with a smile.

Richter didn’t know how to respond and just gave Aster a surprised look.

“I figured out the reason you have trouble with reading and stuff! Your eyesight is super bad and you just needed some glasses! So I talked to my mom and we got you a pair,” said Aster. “I also figured out that’s the reason you look angry all the time!”

“I do not look angry all the time!” Richter shouted.

Aster laughed. 

* * *

“I can’t believe it’s yet another year anniversary of me taking a fist to the face for you,” Aster says to himself as he reaches the place he’d promised to meet with Richter. He looks at the flowers to make sure none of them are damaged before continuing on his way.

He remembers when they went to see Ratatosk together, only two years ago. After meeting with Aqua, who he is sure will be with Richter, they felt as though they had all the answers they needed.

“I wonder how Aqua’s doing,” Aster wonders out loud. “Maybe I should’ve gotten a gift for her…”

* * *

“It’s not much further!” said Aqua as she floated ahead of them.

“Can you believe it Richter? We were right! All of our hard work is paying off!” said Aster excitedly. 

“Yeah… I can hardly believe it,” said Richter sarcastically, but Aster knew he was excited as well, even if his face or voice didn’t show it.

Entering the Ginnungagap was a nerve-wracking experience for Aster. The place gave off an aura over overwhelming power, but he almost felt that something was wrong with it. The aura was powerful, yes, and he was sure it belonged to something that could be considered the lord of monsters and guarded the gate to Nilfheim. However, there was something wrong. It almost felt as though it was a hostile aura that didn’t appreciate them trespassing in its domain.

“Richter…” Aster murmured. “Be careful…something feels off…”

Richter nodded as they approached the glowing gate. A figure was waiting there, comprised of swirling energy that never took on one shape for too long. Aster assumed that it had to be Ratatosk. 

“Master Ratatosk,” said Aqua, approaching the figure. “These are Master Richter and Master Aster. They’ve come to speak with you.”

“We seek your assistance,” said Aster, stepping forward. “There has been a new world tree born and so a new spirit has been born to govern it. However, we feel that the new spirit will require your assistance in regulating the mana to the reunited worlds. So we implore you to offer us your help.”

The figure was silent for a while, and Aster tried to stay calm, even though his heart was beating painfully in his chest. Ratatosk had to accept their proposal—he just had to!

“You want me to offer my assistance to you humans and half-elves?” asked Ratatosk, his voice low and cold, and Aster fought back a shudder when he heard him speak.

“Y-Yes, please! It will benefit the entire world!” said Aster. 

“Everyone will be helped by this, not just humans and half-elves,” added Richter. “So we ask you humbly for you to lend us your power.”

“Very well,” said Ratatosk. “Awaken my Centurions and go forth! Eradicate the humans and half-elves from this world!”

“Wait—what are you doing?” asked Aster.

“Don’t do this!” said Richter at the same time.

“You want the entire world to benefit, and the only way to do that is to get rid of the filthy humans and half-elves that infect it like a plague. I have had enough of their lies and selfish ways. And I suppose that it would be best to start with the two of you,” said Ratatosk. 

Aster could see the arte Ratatosk was about to cast. If it hit, he knew it would kill him. He knew this but he couldn’t move. He was paralyzed in fear. They had been wrong. They had been right about the existence of Ratatosk but they were so, so wrong. He was going to die here. Alone with Richter. Richter, the person he loved more than anyone else in the world. He couldn’t move.

There was a flash of light, and a shout.

“ASTER!”

The shout became a scream of pain and as if in a dream, or rather a nightmare, Aster saw Richter jump in front of him and take the blow. He heard Aqua scream as well.

“R-Richter….” Aster whispered, catching Richter as he fell.

“Sorry…Aster…” said Richter weakly. “It took me so long…to repay my debt…to your stupid ass…”

“No, no Richter please don’t say that you haven’t repaid me yet!” said Aster, tears streaming down his face. “If you die here I’ll never forgive you!”

“Then I’m very sorry…you were the only person I ever loved…Aster,” whispered Richter, a smile on his face.

“Richter! Richter no! No Richter you’re going to be okay! First Aid! Come on stay with me! First Aid! Richter come on respond! Richter!” Aster sobbed, clutching Richter’s body closer to him. 

He knew if he stayed here, he would die as well, and Richter’s sacrifice would be for nothing. But the only weapon he had on him was his stun gun. It would do, Aster reasoned to himself. However, it wasn’t the only weapon available to him.

“Aqua! Come to me!” he commanded, and Aqua immediately flew over to his side.

“Ratatosk will take some time to recover from that attack!” said Aqua urgently. 

“That’s all the time I’ll need,” said Aster, his voice low with anger. He gently removed Richter’s sword from its sheath.

“Master Aster you can’t mean to—”

“Let’s go Aqua!” Aster shouted. Wielding Richter’s sword and the power he was able to borrow from Aqua combined with his own rage, he struck down Ratatosk in one blow. 

“He’s reverted to his core form,” explained Aqua quietly as the red and black orb landed on the floor.

“I’ll deal with that later,” said Aster, turning back to Richter, now allowing his tears to continue. Dropping Richter’s sword, though internally promising he’d pick it back up later, he kneeled by his lover’s side.

“Richter,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against Richter’s. “I’m so…so sorry…”

* * *

“Master Aster!” says Aqua, greeting him as he arrives at the meeting place.

“Hi Aqua,” says Aster softly. “Have you been waiting long?”

“No, not really,” says Aqua. “He’s been lonely without you though.”

“I’m sure he has,” says Aster with a laugh. “He always was such a softie for me. Isn’t that right, Richter?”

Moving forward, he presents his bouquet of asters.

“I brought your favorite…the ones that have my name you silly goof,” says Aster. “Can you believe that yet another year has passed since the day I took a fist to the face for you?”

“That always was an interesting story,” says Aqua, looking away in some attempt to give them some privacy.

“Yeah…and he eventually did repay the favor,” says Aster. “I said I’d never forgive him, but that’s really not true.”

He kneels down on the ground before gently placing the bouquet of flowers on the grave. 

“I really…really miss you though,” he whispers, leaning forward so his forehead touches the grave. An attempt to feel Richter’s warmth one last time, but all he feels instead is the same cold hard stone.


End file.
